The invention is concerned with the layout of the blowing room of a spinning mill. In this description the term xe2x80x9cblowing roomxe2x80x9d also includes the card room, which takes over fibre materials from the traditional cleaning devices of the blowing room for further processing.
It is not feasible economically to adapt the blowing room in advance for a predetermined fibre material. Blowing rooms therefore are designed to process different kinds of material (varieties) whereat the end user can change from one variety to another or can even process different varieties practically at the same time (xe2x80x9cmulti-variety-operationxe2x80x9d).
Controllable blowing room lines are disclosed in the following publications:
DE-A-3,244,619xe2x80x94Trxc3xctzschler
DE-A-3,44,942xe2x80x94Trxc3xctzschler
EP-A497,535xe2x80x94Crosrol
EP-A-303,023xe2x80x94Rieter
EP-A-311,831xe2x80x94Rieter
EP-A-548,023xe2x80x94Rieter
Blowing room lines still comprise a number of machines which receive the fibre material one after each other. It is known that there exist complex reciprocal effects between the different operating parameters (for instance such as the through put flow volume of fibre materials and aggressiveness of the fibre treatment) and the achievable characteristics of the supplied fibre material (normally in the form of flocks from the cleaning machines or sliver respectivelyxe2x80x94or at the most a fibre webxe2x80x94from the card). These complex reciprocal effects led to proposals which aim to simplify the setting of the single machine. This is for instance described in EP-A-399,315 or EP-A-641,876, GB-A-2210970 and EP-A452,676. The application GB-A-2210907 for instance, describes a device which serves the optimization of the cleaning or operating parameters respectively of the succeeding fibre processing machine. The degree of contamination of the fibre flocks is continuously monitored and based on the measured values the operating parameters of the succeeding fibre processing machine are adjusted automatically. Improvements of the possibilities to adjust the machines, or of the line respectively as a whole, allow an optimization of the prevailing circumstances, however, they cannot overcome a certain phenomenon: the higher the throughput flow volume, the more difficult it is to achieve the desired characteristics of the supplied product.
It has recently been suggested to transfer the so called xe2x80x9cfine cleaningxe2x80x9d from the traditional blowing room to the card room, whereat the filling chutes of the individual cards are to be laid out as cleaning machinesxe2x80x94see for instance EP-A-810,309. This allows to reduce the throughput flow during the fine cleaning stage without having to reduce the effective production of the whole line.
It is also known for instance from U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,262 to monitor the fibre material during processing in the blowing room, for instance in the form of a flock stream and to activate a switching means in dependence of the detected results. In the case of an arrangement according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,262, a transportation path is to lead from the switching means into a waste container. The flock flow is diverted to the waste container if metal parts are detected by the monitoring apparatus. Thus the machines that follow in the line are to be protected against foreign matter. In DE-A-197 22 537 there is also a device described which succeeds the bale opener and which serves the extraction of foreign particles. The separation is accomplished with the application of an image processing device. Said device measures the brightness level and/or the colour of the transported material and compares it with set values. Material which does not comply with the set value is discharged. In the meantime, such monitoring apparatuses have been further developed in particular regarding their sensory capabilities. Examples of new devices which operate with optical sensors are disclosed in EP-A-396,546; EP-A-824,607 and DEA-4340173. One has also to expect further developments of the (optical) sensors.
It is an object of the present invention to suggest new blowing room arrangements which allow a better adaptation of the treatment of the fibres to the effective requirements. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
Accordingly, an embodiment of the invention provides a flock transportation device with a switching means for the flock stream, with a monitoring apparatus which detects the degree of contamination whereat the monitoring apparatus carries out an evaluation which determines the cleaning requirements of the detected materials and which controls the switching means accordingly.
The invention further comprises a fibre processing method which requires several transportation paths with different characteristics. Via a common supply means the fibres are allocated to the transportation paths, whereat within the common supply means the condition of the fibres is detected. Afterwards, the fibres are let to one or to the other transportation paths depending on the measured results.
The invention also comprises a fibre processing installation with several transportation paths, which are equipped for different treatment characteristics, and with a common fibre supply means for the mentioned transportation paths. A monitoring apparatus is provided in order to detect the condition of the fibre being supplied through the supply means. The installation also includes a controllable switching means in order to switch the flock stream to the different transportation paths depending on the measured results.
A xe2x80x9ctransportation pathxe2x80x9d is to be understood as the route through which a single fibre flock travels from the bale opener up to the end product (for instance in the sliver after the card). Everywhere a material supply leads through a switching means or through a switching apparatus into two or three branches, then as many new transportation paths are established. A transportation path is actually characterized by its sub-sections. Each sub-section comprises one or several treatment stages (a treatment stage according to the technology is being defined and can consist of one or several machines, for instance the fine cleaning). Depending on how the switching means or the switching apparatus respectively are set, the flocks flow through different sub-sections and thus through a transportation path with one treatment characteristic which is characterized by its sub-section. A sub-section can of course belong to several transportation paths. In a first embodiment the end products of the single transportation paths are processed separately. According to a second embodiment of the invention, however, it is intended that the end products of individual transportation paths, which actually possess different characteristics, are being mixed again partly or as a whole (for instance the end product of a transportation paths with a low quality is being mixed with several end products of high quality). With an only partial mix this way, one thus obtains practically several end products (or xe2x80x9cproduct linesxe2x80x9d) with different fibre characteristics at the same time. This is kind of multi-variety operation. A second kind of such a multi-variety operation can be realized with a central control means and is described in the following paragraph.
A further type of embodiment of the invention, besides the different transportation paths with different treatment characteristics, a central control means. Said control means can, in addition to the monitoring apparatuses, control the single switching means and the switching apparatuses. It is also possible that the control means processes and/or registers the evaluations of the monitoring apparatus centrally. The preferred features of such a fibre processing installation includes the possibility that the transportation paths can partly be predetermined. Thus several xe2x80x9cproduct linesxe2x80x9d with different compositions (qualities respectively) in the end products can be formed. It is for instance possible that there is a given bale with several varieties (that is fibre bales of different origin and quality with different fibre characteristics such as staple length, degree of contamination etc.). The bale opener, for instance the A11 of Rieter, takes off the flocks one by one from the various bales. An installation which takes off flocks from bales of different origins and which at the same time adapts the operating parameters of the succeeding treatment steps to the variety of the actual bale being opened is already known with the EP-A-399,315. Furthermore it is known from this application that one end product with one composition can be obtained. With the installation according to the invention it is however possible, thanks to a central control unit, to have a bale supply with several varieties and to control the fibre material flow of the individual bales through the transportation paths up to the end product (multi-variety operation). This way there are several end products of different, homogeneous compositions are being produced. Simultaneously, the transported flocks are also treated according to the evaluated cleaning requirement. The composition of the different varieties in the end products of the individual xe2x80x9cproduct linesxe2x80x9d can be pre-determined by the central control unit (however, end products with fibres of only one single variety are also possible).
Of course it is also possible to program the central control unit in such a way that itxe2x80x94as far as possiblexe2x80x94also optimizes the transportation path according to the momentarily delivered fibre quantity. This is especially of advantage, if certain transportation lines can only treat a limited throughput quantity of fibres. Where necessary, the single sub-sections may also comprise intermediate storages in order to balance natural inconsistencies in the fibre supply. Preferably, the intermediate storages can at the same time also be used as feeding chutes for the succeeding treatment stage.
The invention includes therefore the following devices, methods and applications:
A flock transportation device for textile processing machines with a switching means for the flock stream, which contains one or several monitoring apparatuses which measure the degree of contamination of the transported fibre material, whereat the monitoring apparatus or a further apparatus (for instance the succeeding switching means, a control means) each carries out an evaluation which determines the cleaning needs of the detected material and which at least controls one switching means accordingly.
The invention also comprises a flock transportation device with one or several so called by-pass units which can be connected in a series as well as in a parallel arrangement. One by-pass unit possesses a common flock supply means which separates into two or several transportation paths, whereat the first transportation path is without any treatment stage and all the other transportation paths are provided with a treatment stage. At the end of the by-pass unit the transportation paths merge again so that the transportation paths of the by-pass unit again have a common outlet, that is each by-pass unit has only one outlet.
The by-pass unit can be designed in such a way in that each unit on the common flock supply means is provided with a monitoring apparatus and a switching element succeeding said monitoring apparatus, whereby the monitoring apparatus carries out an evaluation which determines the cleaning requirements of the transported fibre material and which controls the succeeding switching means accordingly and, which either guides the evaluated fibre material onto a transportation path with a suitable treatment stage or onto a transportation path without any treatment stage. At the end of the by-pass unit, the transportation paths merge again per definition, so that one single outlet of the by-pass unit results.
Additionally, to the mentioned flock transportation devices, a flock processing method for textile processing machines is also comprised in the invention. The method is characterized in that several transportation paths with different treatment characteristics are provided, so that the flocks are fed over a common flock supply means through one transportation path, whereat within the common flock supply means the condition of the flocks is being monitored and that, depending on the measured results of these tests, the flocks are forwarded into one or another transportation paths. One of the transportation paths can also be without a treatment stage (by-pass system).
The flock processing method mentioned in the last paragraph also comprises the by-pass units according to the invention. That means that several transportation paths with different treatment characteristics are provided. The flocks are supplied over a common flock supply means through one transportation path, whereat in the common flock supply means the condition of the flocks is monitored, and that depending on the measured results the flocks are being guided to one or the other transportation paths and that the transportation paths merge again at their end.
To the flock processing installation for textile processing machines with several transportation paths with different treatment characteristics, with a common flock supply means (for instance from the bale opener) for the mentioned transportation path, the invention also includes one or several monitoring apparatuses. Said monitoring apparatuses measure and detect the condition of the momentarily transported flocks. Thereby one or several controllable switching means are provided which guide the flock stream, depending on the measured results (that is the condition of the fibre flocks) to the suitable transportation path.
For some types of embodiments of the invention, it is not important whether the evaluation of the measured results (condition of the fibre flocks) is carried out in the monitoring apparatus or in the switching means. The invention provides for both possibilities. Normally the monitoring apparatus will carry out the evaluation and when reaching a certain threshold value (certain degree of contamination of the fibre flocks), it gives the signal for switching to the switching means. This is a particular advantage, in that in addition also a central control unit can be provided. Said central control unit could register the measured values and carry out further evaluations, for instance determining the optimal operating parameters of the following treatment stage in the concrete transportation path-sub-section and it could transmit these parameters to the corresponding machines or control them respectively. The invention however, is not limited to this possibility. It is for instance also possible that the monitoring apparatus only carries out the detection or the measurement respectively and continuously sends a signal to the switching means. Only when this signal reaches a certain threshold valuexe2x80x94being preset within the switching meansxe2x80x94then does said switching means switch. It is also possible that the monitoring apparatus carries out the evaluations or it only carries out the measuring continuously and transmits these to the central control means, which then decides or first evaluates the measuring values respectively, and then decides whether the switching means needs to be activated or not (possibly in dependence of other factors).
As already mentioned above, a flock processing installation for textile processing machines can also comprise transportation paths with one or more by-pass unit. With several by-pass units said units can be arranged behind each other, i.e. in series and/or next to each other i.e. parallel.
The invention may include that the transportation paths pertaining to the flock processing installation each can comprise one or several treatment stages. The transportation paths consist, as already mentioned, of not less than one sub-section. Each sub-section may include one or several treatment stages.
The results determined by the monitoring apparatus about the condition of the flocks can also serve for setting the operating parameters of the succeeding treatment stage or treatment stages. Amongst other facts, the measurements of the monitoring apparatuses can be evaluated by the monitoring apparatuses themselves, by the central control means, or by a further evaluation apparatus being connected to the succeeding treatment stages.
The invention includes the application of the required monitoring apparatuses in the flock transportation devices and flock processing installations. Said means may measure the degree of nep presence of the fibre flocks and/or the degree of contamination of the fibre flocks and/or the degree of opening of the fibre flocks. The monitoring apparatuses can preferably also evaluate the measured values themselves.
Part of the invention is also the application of one or several suitable switching means respectively, for the flock transportation device and flock processing installation. Such switching means are actually of known art. New and inventive is their application within a device or installation respectively according to the invention. The actual switching means can for instance be a device which releases one or several gas impulses in order to deviate the corresponding fibre material (for instance onto another transportation path). Such devices are described in the already mentioned disclosures, in particular in EP-A-43 40 173 and EP-A-824 607. A further type of applicable switching means is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,262. There the device consists of a pneumatically movable flap and a control unit pertaining to it. Of course, the switching means applicable to the invention does not need to be limited to said two types of devices.
The invention may furthermore include the idea that one or several monitoring apparatuses for the application in flock transportation devices and flock processing installations according to the above description, are to be applied in combination with at least one switching means.
The invention may also include the idea to couple the monitoring apparatuses with further measuring apparatuses, such as a separating device for foreign fibres so that these can interact with one another.
An important type of embodiment of the invention is that the flock processing installation for textile processing machines comprises a preferably central, control means to control the flock quantity and flock varieties supplied by the feeding means. Whereat the switching apparatuses as well as the switching means of the flock processing installation are additionally connected to the control means and that the control means can also control or determine respectively, the transportation paths, in dependence of the variety actually delivered by the feeding means (for instance the bale opener A11), and/or the supplied fibre quantity and/or the desired end composition of the product (or the end product respectively, of the line, such as sliver, lap, fibre web etc.). The control means thereby be set in such a way (or programmed) that it itself determines the optimal or necessary transportation paths for the flocks in dependence of the mentioned factors. It is possible that individual switching means within the sub-sections of the transportation paths are not connected to the control unit. It is also clear that the control means cannot control the transportation paths arbitrarily, but it is bound to certain frame conditions (most of all, on the condition that an optimal cleaning should be achieved or that for instance certain transportation paths are defined for other varieties and therefore cannot be selected).
The embodiment according to the inventions described in the last paragraph also includes the corresponding flock processing method for textile processing machines. That is, a method is provided wherein the transportation paths can also be selected or determined respectively, in dependence of the variety delivered momentarily by the feeding means (for instance bale opener) and/or fibre quantity and/or in dependence of the desired end composition of the product (or the end product respectively of the line, such as sliver, lap, fibre web etc.).
The invention includes the application of one or several of the following treatment stages within the flock processing installations according to the invention: the coarse cleaning, the fine cleaning, the intensive cleaning, the intensive opening or the mixing or a combination of the mentioned process types.
The monitoring apparatus preferably comprises optical sensors, for instance a CCD-camera or CCD-sensors respectively. The monitoring apparatus can detect the following characteristics of the fibre material:
the number of the debris particles contained:
The signals transmitted by the sensors can be counted during an evaluation and preferably can also be examined with respect to size or frequency of the different sizes. For each chosen criteria at least one threshold value can be determined so that when exceeding the threshold value, switching is initiated.
number of fibre knottings/nep flaws contained:
Again, the frequency can be examined or the frequency as a switching criteria in the control unit respectively, can be defined.
actual flock size
shade of the material
In a further type of embodiment of the invention, it is also possible, as already mentioned, that the results from the monitoring apparatuses about the condition of the momentarily transported fibre flocks not only serve for the switching of the optimal transportation path, but that this evaluation can also serve for the setting of certain operating parameters of the succeeding treatment stage. For this, the preceding monitoring apparatus not only interacts with the succeeding treatment stage but also, via a central control means which registers the evaluations of the monitoring apparatus, determines and forwards said parameters to the succeeding treatment stage.
The treatment characteristics of the different transportation paths preferably differentiate themselves from each other with regard to intensity (for instance aggressiveness) during fibre treatment. Thereby, for instance different cleaning effects or different opening effects respectively are generated. A relatively dirty, or with frequent neps, or badly opened material is therefore detoured onto a transportation path which is provided with machines and apparatuses which achieve a relatively high cleaning and opening effect (however, with a relative high strain on the fibre, for instance staple shortening). A relatively clean material is led onto a transportation path with a relatively fibre friendly treatment characteristic (possible without a cleaning machine), whereat it is accepted that the existing degree of contamination is hardly reduced.